Girls und Panzer Six Days to the Rhine

by Deadman'sHand92x45

It's 1985, the final days of the cold war are approaching, a crisis in the Persian Gulf leads to Warsaw Pact declaring war on NATO and launching an all out assault across the Fulda Gap. The girls of Oarai High School and Kuromorimine must assist NATO in stopping this merciless attack. Meanwhile Pravda helps spearhead the attack into the Rhineland. Minor crossover with Team Yankee

Prologue: Nightmares

1983, Annual Pact/NATO Tankry games

13:00hrs

Somewhere in the Balkans

"I count one…two…three… no five T-55s at one 'o clock." Miho Nishizumi reported into her throat mike. Her tank hull down in a heavily wooded area, the Soviet tanks were blissfully unaware of her and the rest of her Panzer Kompanie's (Company) presences as they rounded the large hill to the Kompanie's East. Sitting atop her Leopard 2 MBT Miho observed the twisted landscape before her, Miho felt like an invincible war goddess atop a mighty chariot of battle.

Last night the girls of Kuromorimine had engaged in a seven hour tank battle in the nearby field where the Kompanie scouts had spotted a Motorized Rifle Company backed by a dozen T-72s from the Pravda Guards Tankry School. The fighting had been fierce and both sides took heavy losses. Miho had this afternoon counted the number of destroyed Pravda vehicles and was able to count at least seventy AFVs of various types strewn across the ground including at least twenty seven T-72s; however Kuromorimine took causalities as well; the once proud panzer Kompanie was reduced from seven Leopard 2s down to three, an entire Panzer Grenadier Kompanie was wiped out and the Flak Panzer Zug (platoon) had been reduced to a single Gepard. In fact Miho's own platoon was reduced from three to two Leopards and the second platoon was totally destroyed leaving only the Kompanie commander's tank and Miho's own platoon.

But worst of all was the destruction of the two Luchs recon vehicles in the battle. Without them the eyes and ears of the Panzer Kompanie had been plucked out. The Kompanie commander had tried to remedy this by calling Divisional HQ and getting some PAH helicopter support but after one was shot down by Pravda Shilkas they had been recalled. Now the amount of situational awareness had been reduced to a bare minimum; and everyone was on edge.

"Why are they sending out T-55s? Those antiques won't stand a chance against our leopards." Koume Akaboshi pondered aloud over the squad coms network. Miho's older sister Maho was the first to reply.

"We must have knocked out all of their T-72s; it is not uncommon for Pravda to send out their reserve tanks if their main force was destroyed." Maho calmly stated Maho Nishizumi was the Kompanie commander of the Kuromorimine Women's College Tankry team holding the rank of Captain; despite her young age she had brought victory to NATO forces for the last 9 tournaments in a row.

Miho looked out through her field glasses at the approaching T-55s; they were first year students that much she could tell; but more importantly it appeared that the Pravda tanks were oblivious to their surroundings, the lead tank had its hatch open and the commander was head up scanning her surroundings for the NATO tanks.

"Well they are providing perfect flank shots for our 120 Mike Mikes; we are going to cut through them like butter. Ma'am should we take the shot?" Miho asked her elder sister who pondered for a moment.

"No, let's wait for a while. Something doesn't feel right. I feel Pravda may have more tanks in reserve; we still haven't destroyed their flag tank yet." Maho stated calmly over the radio. Miho pondered for a moment, it was true they had yet to encounter the main enemy force in open battle, despite this being the third day of the match it appeared that the Pravda Major and her Battalion Commissar had yet to make an entrance.

"Those cheating bastards! This was supposed to be a company sized skirmish and here they bring an entire Armored Battalion against us!" Koume growled over the radio.

"I know, but I can't say I am surprised. Pact battle doctrine calls for strength in numbers to overwhelm their enemies…." Maho paused for a moment before smirking "Besides if they clog our guns with their dead we won't have anything to shoot them with." This got a laugh from the rest of the Kompanie.

"Maybe we can call up Battalion and get some fire support to knock them out; we still have a group of M109Gs back at base." Miho suggested to Maho who pondered for a moment.

"No I think that we should save the fire support for soft targets… wait… do you hear that?" Maho inquired to the rest of the Platoon. Miho could hear the thunder of an approaching helicopter; was it an enemy Hind? No it was not weighty enough to be that Miho looked to the skies and saw the camera helicopter filming the match fly over. She could see the Camera man filming the Pravda tanks before turning the camera to Miho's Kompanie. Miho saw the lead Pravda tank commander turn her head and eyes go wide as she must have realized that Miho's formation was lying in wait.

"Well they know we are here now, OPEN FIRE!" Maho shouted over the Radio. Miho saw the Pravda tank commander jump down into the tank and seal the hatch as she prepared to do the same.

"Gunner, Fire, Fire HEAT!" Miho shouted to her Panzer's gunner and loader, giving the order to fire the shell in the breach a sabot round and follow up with a High Explosive Anti-Tank round. The T-55 was an older tank and its armor was not designed to counter HEAT shells like the Chobham armor used on her Leopard 2 would.

Miho looked through her scope and saw as an APFSDS round shot out of her Rheinmetall 120mm canon bellowed sending the Sabot out at Mach 5 blitzing towards the enemy tank. At the same time the other tanks in the platoon opened up along with a nearby infantry team with Milan AT Missiles. The rounds struck home impacting the side armor of the T-55 detonating the ammo rack in a thunderous explosion sending the turret flying into the air. The shells from the other Leopards also struck home tearing both Pravda tanks apart. The Milan AT missiles then hit the last two tanks one striking the rear engine setting off fuel and brewing the tank up in a massive fireball while the other tank was struck directly on its turret tearing it off as if a giant had grabbed it and tossed it aside.

It was over in a split second as the five enemy tanks were annihilated by the skilled tankers of the Kuromorimine Tankry team.

"Excellent shooting ladies, just like the gunnery range back on campus." Maho congratulated them.

"Hell yeah, I bet Ivan won't be trying that again!" Koume cheered and gloated over the radio. Miho noticed the camera helicopter swoop low to get a better angle on the destroyed tanks and then dart over at near tree top height to pan over the girls of Kuromorimine. On the Horizon Miho then noticed a shimmer and a large near half klick wide plume of smoke appeared.

"Shit! Reverse, Reverse!" Maho shouted over the radio as the Kompanie realized what was coming, the smoke kept rising and more was on the way… Bm-21s Stalin's Organ. The infantry stayed in their foxholes the best defense they could afford against enemy artillery while the remaining vehicles of the company went into full reverse. Miho shouted to her driver to move at full speed reverse.

"Damn bastards, used their first years as bait!" Koume shouted over the radio. She was right Miho realized, Pravda had a bad habit of treating its first years as expendable cannon fodder in a battle, in this case they must have had a scout in the forest spotting for artillery and just waiting for Kuromorimine to reveal its position. The rockets slammed into their position most of the rockets missed their tanks but two rockets struck Koume's tank, punching through the thin top armor and exploding inside, Miho saw the hatch pop open and Koume crawl out covered in flames, her flesh both reddening and blackening under the flames as she screamed in pain, her final moments in complete agony as she died. To add insult to injury the camera helicopter circled Koume's tank and zoomed in on her death recording her final moments on earth.

Miho was half tempted to fire a canister round at the helicopter to teach it some respect but realized that she would more than likely need every shell she could. From the right flank she heard the thunderous sound of incoming aircraft. The Flak panzer turned it's turret to face the incoming enemy threat.

"Maho, fast movers!" Miho shouted over the radio as two Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft thundered overhead rocket pods blazing most going wide or short. The Gepard opened up with its 35mm autocannons. Red shells thundered towards one of the Frogfoots and tore into its underside obliterating an engine and tearing off its right wing. The canopy flew off and the seat rocketed out as the pilot ejected, unfortunately for him he was too low and at an angle as Miho saw his body slam into the ground at high speeds.

From the forest in front of Miho two companies of T-72s emerged their 125mm cannons thundering away at her tank. A thunderous boom rocked her tank as a shell struck her turret; tossing the fourteen year old tank commander to the ground. She saw stars as she tried to focus; a ringing filled her ears momentarily as the shock of the impact rattled her brain.

"Sta… Status report; is everyone alright?" Miho asked her crew who confirmed that they were still in one piece. The shell hadn't penetrated the armor they were still alive and not cooked spam in a can, the cynical joke her crew used to describe dead tankers.

Miho got back to her position and scanned around, just in time to see a 125mm shell strike and destroy the Gepard. More tank rounds struck the ground before her tank sending fragments in all directions. Maho then spoke over the platoon radio.

"Alright 2-1, we are the only armor left to support the infantry; they may have us out numbered but not out gunned. Stick by me and engage all targets at will." Maho stated calmly over the radio to Miho who chimed in acknowledgement. From the infantry position more Milan Anti-Tank missiles struck the T-72s obliterating two in an instant of fire and death.

"Gunner T-72s, twelve o'clock, engage at will, Loader, load Sabot!" Miho shouted to her crew who loaded up a Sabot round and turned the turret to face the oncoming Pravda Tank Company.

"Gun ready!" The loader shouted to her, Miho saw the lead T-72 was lined up in her sights.

"Fire!" Miho shouted to her gunner who pulled the trigger sending a 120mm "Silver Bullet" at the T-72 striking it right under the search light mounted on the turret, tearing the turret off at the ring and detonating the fuel and ammo. Maho's tank opened up around the same time striking a T-72 in its lower glacis killing the crew and setting off fuel and ammo.

"2-1 this is a maneuvering fight now, don't stop for anything, remember our tanks can fire on the move just as well as we can stationary, the same can't be said for Ivan. Use that to your advantage." Maho calmly stated to her younger sister who simply replied yes in acknowledgment.

Miho's Leopard 2 fire again, and again another T-72 went up in flames. The Pravda tanks fired most of their shots flying wide but a single one ricocheted off the side armor at an angle merely rocking the tank. The Pravda tanks began breaking formation with two platoons swing right probably to go around the grove that Kuromorimine's tanks had formally occupied. No time to think about that now however as from the forest to the front BMP-1s emerged at least two companies firing their 76mm cannons at the infantry dug in to the west. The infantry returned fire with Panzerfaust 44s striking the front of one of the IFVs brewing it up. From the back the doors of the vehicle swung open the passengers engulfed in flames were mowed down with MG fire from the infantry. The IFVs closed in firing the entire time; one shell struck a fox hole and Miho saw a girl from her side picked up and flung into the air as if a rag doll.

As the BMPs closed they stopped disgorging their passengers at least a hundred of motorized riflemen emerged each one with an AK-74 firing wildly into the infantry. Miho's and Maho's Leopards fired at the T-72s again scoring two more kills; one destroyed T-72s turret went flying through the air and landed atop a nearby tank momentarily stunning it. Miho finished that tank off with another sabot round. She checked her stockpile she had three sabots and ten HEAT rounds, after that she was down to her MG3 and treads.

"2-1 we have to support the infantry we are going to close into the BMPs take out as many of the T-72s as you can but once we are in contact I want you to deal with those troop carriers and the enemy infantry. Ram them if you have to." Maho ordered her. Miho put her hand to her throat mike and acknowledged. Miho's and Maho's tanks rocked again they were struck with tank rounds, if this kept up eventually a shell would strike home. Miho fired another shell into a T-72 the shell gutting the tank. She inwardly smiled as she realized that tank was her fiftieth kill. She had been participating in Tankry since she was ten years old and had won three tournaments. She may have been one of the youngest tank commanders in the world but she wasn't a slouch, no she was a prodigy even Nee-san Maho thought so. She had even taught some of the grownups in NATO tank tactics and briefed them on how the finer points of Soviet tank technology.

"It's ok I have been through worse than this." Miho muttered to herself as another shell struck her tank bouncing off the front armor.

"What!?" The gunner asked her as she tried to line up a shot on another T-72. A split second later she fired her remaining Sabot blasting through the turret of the tank but not causing a massive fireball. The crew of the Pravda tank opened hatches and staggered out; the gunner switched to Coaxial and hosed them with MG fire. "Fucking commies!" she shouted as she hosed them, the enemy tank commander was struck with one bullet falling to the ground only to be run over by an advancing T-72.

"I said when this is all over I will buy the whole company a round of beer! The good stuff not that cheap American piss water!" Miho shouted into the mic eliciting a laugh from the crew. A Pravda motor riflemen with an RPG-7 stood up from a slight bend in the field and fired at the front of the tank the rocket failing to pen the powerful front armor of the tank. The gunner fired the machine gun and struck the enemy panzerjager, sending the girl to the ground before Miho shouted to the driver to run her down. The tank failed to register running the soviet over and turning her into a bright red smear over the treads.

"Loader, Load HEAT, gunner engage enemy BMPs two o'clock!" Miho shouted over the radio as both her and Maho's tanks closed into the enemy BMP-1s, they were less than one klick out. The Soviet infantry was closing in on the Kuromorimine panzer grenadiers who were desperately low on ammo. "Driver, we are going to deal with the BMPs you are going to have to deal with the infantry run the fuckers down if you have to! Do you hear me!?" Miho shouted over the radio to her driver who affirmed her. The BMP-1s turned to face the oncoming Leopard 2s seeing that the T-72s screening them had been heavily reduced they had to engage the oncoming threat or die.

BMP-1s fired their AT missiles the wire guided monstrosities' had killed many Israeli tanks in the Sinai a decade prior, Miho knew to be weary of those. Her Leo swung wide avoiding a missile as her tank fired its main gun striking a BMP in the flank blasting it to pieces.

The Leos fired again knocking out two more BMPs in an instant sending fragments and flames across the battlefield. Pravda troops fired their rifles and RPG-18s at the oncoming NATO behemoths doing little more than rattling the ears of the tankers. Miho fired a heat shell at a BMP gutting the AFV in an instant. Her driver moved at flank speed catching some unlucky infantry in the open crushing them with the treads.

Just then from over the horizon a flight of four Mi-24s flew overhead; the heavy flying tanks bristling with guns and rockets swooped low firing Spiral Missiles at her tank. She barely had enough time to register what was going on when the missile struck her left tread immobilizing her tank. She was thrown to the floor as the tank spun to the left. The Hinds flew overhead preparing to spin back around for another attack run. Just then she looked out into the hatch and spotted six T-72s emerging from her rear, the flanking force had arrived. Most of the T-72s in front of the formation had either been destroyed or had their crews bail out but this new formation had a perfect shot on the rear of their tanks. Combine this with the infantry who had peeled off from the assault on the panzer grenadiers and you had a recipe for disaster.

Maho's tank turned to face the oncoming threat after having rammed a BMP tossing the lighter vehicle aside. Maho's Leopard 2 fired and struck the turret of a T-72 obliterating it with ease.

"Gunner, T-72s three o'clock… engage at will." Miho said as she struggled to stand up shaken from the repeated tank and missile impacts to her tank. The turret of her tank turned to face the oncoming enemy and that is when it happened… for Miho the world went black for a moment before she realized what happened, she was unsure if she was unconscious or if it was a trick of the brain… something happening so fast she couldn't remember it but when she regained her composure she saw a shell had impacted the front side armor of her tank tearing through it and killing her driver just then another shell tore through the front turret armor of the tank tearing her gunner in half and decapitating the loader. If she had been standing she would have died to. She saw to her left flank that the Hinds had made another attack run on Maho's tank this time. Several rockets had struck the top rear engine compartment tanking out the power control rendering the tank useless. She heard the chatter of Russian voices and vaguely saw a Pravda motorized troop climb atop her tank, the Russian's AK was aimed straight for her when… BEEP… BEEP… BEEP!

BEEP… BEEP…BEEP, Miho awoke in a cold sweat. She quickly scanned her surroundings. That was right, she wasn't in a Tankry match anymore, she never had to do that again… that match was two and a half long years ago…

Oarai High School Japan

July 21st 1985

06:00

Miho sat up in bed as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and wiped the sweat from her brow. She smiled a bit as she got out of bed and looked out the window. I am not in Tankry anymore, I don't have to prepare for death in a few hours, I can look out my window without worrying about sniper fire, and I don't have to worry about making loud noises and alerting the enemy.

I finally have time in my life, unlimited time. Miho thought to herself, these last two and a half years had been a blessing on her life; she thought to herself as she got dressed and made herself so toast before school. She left her home and met her two best friends, a red haired girl with glasses named Saori and a tall almost doll like girl with long flowing black hair named Hana who waved to her as she approached. That was another luxury she could now be friends with whoever she wanted. She didn't have to worry about whether they were talented or not; or what role they would play in the squad.

"Hi Miporin!" Saori shouted and waved to Miho who smiled and waved back as she ran towards her friends.

"Hey guys…" Miho stated when she arrived. Hana looked her over for a moment before speaking.

"Miho, you look pretty tired. Did you spend last night studying again?" Hana inquired of Miho who shook her head.

"No, I think I just must have had a bad dream is all." Miho replied and added in a nervous laugh at the end. Saori leaned in with a bit of a smirk.

"Eeehhhh, was it the one with the spiders again?" She cooed as she gave Miho a slight elbow jab. Miho's face glowed in surprise and embarrassment at that suggestion.

"What!? No, I am not a little girl anymore spiders don't scare me anymore! I promise!" Miho bleated to Saori who was not even remotely convinced. Saori then pressed the attack.

"Oh really… are you sure… because right now…" Saori leaned in as if to let Miho in on a dirty little secret. "There is a spider in your hair." Saori purred causing Miho to bleat out and run in fingers through her hair desperately trying to get the "spider" out of her hair. Saori laughed and patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry I am just teasing you Miporin… there isn't a spider in your hair." Saori told her Miho looked at her with a pouting expression.

"That wasn't funny you know." Miho pouted to Saori who waved it off.

"Oh relax Miporin, you always look so serious and dower in the morning I have to cheer you up!" Saori told her, Hana chuckled a bit before she spoke up.

"Well, perhaps you can find a nicer way to do so than scaring her next time Saori-chan." Hana told the red haired girl. Saori laughed and slapped Miho on the shoulder and asked her if she minded to which Miho shook her head.

This was part of her mask, her personality… it was all fake, she didn't want them to know the truth, the truth of what she had gone through… it was better that they didn't know. Why should Miho burden them with the knowledge of what a full contact tankry match was like?

"So Miporin, I hear today is the day they will be announcing the clubs for next semester are you interested in being in a club next semester?" Saori asked Miho who nodded her head.

"Yeah, I guess so. I am not sure which club I will want to do though. I guess we have to wait and see what they are going to be offering this coming year." Miho replied to Saori who nodded her head.

"Well this year we were able to put in some suggestions. Did you put in any suggestions to the student council?" Hana inquired. Miho shook her head but Saori's eyes glowed and a grin shot across her face.

"Oh yes I did, I made several suggestions actually!" Saori informed them. Hana smiled and let Saori continue. "Well for one I did, foreign relations, i.e. dating foreign guys, then I did appreciation of the male form, then I suggested that we have a male…" Saori was saying before getting a pat on the head from Hana.

"Never change Saori…" Hana warmly told Saori who was a little confused. Miho couldn't help but giggle at her friend's suggestion.

They went to class without any incidents then they went and had lunch together, nothing special the usual lunch boxes they made for themselves every day. They then went to the gym where the rest of the school had gathered to hear the list of clubs being offered. They were nothing special to Miho, just your average assortments of tea clubs, math clubs, etc, that was until the class president and her two advisors got on stage and a projector screen dropped down behind them. The short pigtailed class president then began to speak.

"Now everyone, there is one last club that we would like to announce. It is a special club that I am offering for a limited time certain… incentive for joining. If you become a member of this club, you will be granted two hundred excused absences, twenty percent automatic extra credit for all classes and… you will be given ten free test vouchers that you can use in any class for any test… per year!" Anzu Kadotani the student class president informed the school pausing momentarily. There were hushed whispered among the students everyone was wondering what this mysterious club could possibly be. But for Miho… suddenly a sickening feeling appeared in her gut, a familiar feeling… fear.

"Now without further ado, I present to you the final club!" Anzu stated sticking her arms up and pointing towards the screen. The camera began to roll and the lights went low as the footage of girls riding in tanks appeared. Promoting the health of young women everywhere, promoting the virtues of feminine beauty and advertising all of the career opportunities a tank girl could have both at home and abroad. The final shot showed a girl from Kuromorimine laughing and celebrating atop a Leopard 1 as she was showered with flowers.

The promotional video ended and there were some gasps in the crowd and some of the girls in the audience saying that they didn't want to die so why would anyone want to do that "sport". Maho went into a cold sweat, images of her last battle filling her mind, the screaming, the death the smell of burnt flesh. Saori and Hana noticed this and Saori tugged on Miho's arm.

"Hey, Miporin are you alright?" She asked Miho who snapped out of it and nodded her head.

"Yeah I am ok, just a little surprised is all. I thought this school didn't have tankry as a club." Miho replied. Just then Anzu began speaking.

"Now I know what you are all thinking, that this sport is dangerous and people die in tankry matches. Well don't you worry, the matches we will be playing in are all non-contact matches here in Japan against local teams, and in those matches no one ever gets hurt. Now remember all of the extra credit you will get for being in the Tankry Club so go forth and pick your clubs everyone!" Anzu exclaimed to the crowd with a happy smiling face.

With the reassurance of the student council president people seemed to be much more at ease than they were before. Miho picked out the conversations of a few students saying that they could get into a top university with all of the extra credit they would be given by joining the Tankry Club. Hana then spoke to Miho and Saori.

"I think I am going to join the Tankry Club." She simply stated to her friends. Miho looked to Hana her eyes wide.

"What!? Why would you want to do that I thought you would want to do something like flower arrangement or the Tea Club!" Miho exclaimed to Hana who shrugged before speaking.

"To be honest my flower arrangement has been in a bit of a creative slump and I have wanted to branch out. So what better way to do that than to partake in a semester of tankry?" Hana explained, and then Saori spoke.

"I think I will join the Tankry Club too! I hear girls who get really good at tankry are really famous and have a lot of admiration from boys!" Saori beamed. "Besides it's not like those really dangerous international tournaments in Europe, I here that no one ever dies in the matches played here!" Saori explained to the group.

"Have either of you two seen a tankry match before? Don't you know what it is like?" Miho desperately inquired. Saori shook her head but Hana thought for a moment before speaking.

"Well I have seen a few local matches and they seemed pretty tame frankly. My mother never let me watch the international games though since she said it was far too barbaric of a sport." Hana informed them. Just then an arm wrapped itself around Miho's waist. Miho looked and saw the smiling face of Anzu flanked by her two lieutenants Yuzu and Momo.

"Hey Nishizumi, I want you to join the Tankry Club!" Anzu stated to Miho who was silent for a moment before speaking.

"I am sorry, but I have decided that I want to pick another club." Miho stated in as level of a voice as she possibly could. Anzu wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Oh come on, we need you to join… we know that you had some tankry experience from your last school." Anzu explained. Then Saori gasped.

"Wait, Miporin you were a tank girl!? Why did you not tell us?" Saori inquired. Before Miho could answer Anzu began speaking again.

"I know what you are thinking this could be dangerous, but don't worry we use GuP rounds now!" Anzu excitedly stated as she pulled out a 20mm round from her bag with the big letters GuP written on it. "These rounds never penetrate armor no matter how thin and the metal absorbs all of the shockwave. Plus these puppies never hit people ever." Anzu explained to Miho who raised an eyebrow.

"How is that even possible?" Miho inquired to which Anzu just waved it off.

"Let's not ask any unnecessary questions now; the point is they exist and that they work flawlessly mkay. So will you be joining the club?" Anzu inquired before Momo spoke up.

"I know that you picked this school specifically because it did not have tankry but we have no choice but to start a team; and win a local tournament, if we don't this school will be abolished." Momo explained to Miho, Hana then spoke.

"Wait, abolished? Do you mean that this school will lose all of its funding and be shut down?" Hana asked the monocle wearing raven haired young lady who nodded.

"Yes that is correct, we talked to the school board and if we don't win a local tournament here in Japan our school will be shut down and the students split up and sent to different schools." She stated to Hana who pondered upon the information. Miho thought for a moment, she had made friends here, had restarted her life here. She loved this school; if she didn't join the school could be shut down.

"Well, we are only going to stay in Japan right? And no one is going to get hurt right?" Miho asked the class president who nodded intently.

"Sure, sure whatever you say Miho!" Anzu replied; Miho then sighed.

"Alright, I guess I will join the club." Miho told Anzu who smiled and waved a paw at her.

"That is wonderful, now go out there and sign up, make sure to get all of your friends to join to, ok!?" Anzu stated to which Miho sighed again and agree. Anzu and her cronies then left to go and talk to other students more than likely trying to get them to also join the Tankry Club. Hana was the first to speak to Miho as they headed towards the club registration line.

"Why did you never tell us you were in a tankry club before Miho?" Hana inquired of Miho who just laughed and tried to wave it off.

"Oh no reason, I just didn't think it was very important. I did a few matches back in middle school is all, nothing serious. All we ever did was shoot at each other with paint rounds." Miho reassured her friends. Hana didn't seem too convinced but she didn't say anything. They were about to reach the front of the line when Saori recognized another student.

"Mako-chan, is that you!?" Saroi inquired of a sleepy looking black haired girl who was signing her name on the registry for the Tankry Club. The girl turned to face them and spoke.

"Hello, Saori… yes I am joining the Tankry Club. I heard that you will have all of your absences and tardiness forgiven if you join so I figured this would be a good way to start over." Mako droned on; Mako appeared to have just woken up from a nap or perhaps didn't sleep the previous night because she looked completely exhausted, practically sleep walking to them.

"You know that you are going to have to wake up early for the club right?" Saori asked Mako who raised an eyebrow.

"How early, 1pm?" Mako asked Saori who shook her head.

"No more 6am." She replied. Mako's eyes went wider than dinner plates as she realized her folly. Mako turned to face the club registration staff member.

"Wait I change my mind, I don't want to be in this club!" She bleated out to the smiling staff member who spoke back to her.

"I am sorry but I am under strict orders to not allow people to quit the club once they joined. Have a nice day Mako-san." She stated to Mako who was then sighed in defeat and skulked off. Miho was up next. She took hold of the pen and thought for a moment, this is it, she is about to be thrust back into the world of tankry once more. Miho signed her name.

The afternoon sun bore down on her as she walked alone through the school parking lot to the club building. She was deep in thought regarding her decision to join the Tankry Club. Was it really the right decision? She couldn't say for sure now; but the important thing is that she was now a member of Oarai's Tankry Team. She saw out of the corner of her eye a shadow. She turned her head and the shadow darted away behind a tree. Miho sighed and quickly walked over to the tree and spotted a brown haired student who was trying her best to hide. The student looked quite surprised that she had been caught before she had an excited look in her eyes and spoke.

"Ah, that is just the kind of situational awareness I would expect from a tank girl from Kuromorimine Woman's Tank Warfare School!" The student exclaimed to her. Miho raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I mean you are the famous 1st Lieutenant Miho Nishizumi of the 1st Panzer Kompanie from Kuromorimine! My name is Yukari Akiyama I am a second year and a new member of this school's Tankry Club. I am a big fan of yours and I have watched all of your matches. My favorite tank is the Leopard 2 and I really like the American Abrams tank as well and…" Miho put a hand up to slow Yukari down.

"Why were you hiding from me Yukari?" Miho asked the student who seemed confused for a moment before laughing.

"Oh that, well sometimes I get nervous and excited and I just think you are so awesome that I just couldn't help myself!" Yukari explained. "I mean you started tankry when you were in elementary school and you scored more kills in a single match than anyone in the history of the sport. Like during your last match with Pravda! I watched it live and was rooting for you the whole time!" Yukari explained to Miho who pondered for a moment.

"You saw my matches against Pravda and still think it's a good idea to join the Tankry Club?" Miho more accused than asked Yukari, although this fact seemingly was lost on Yukari who nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course, I think tanks are so cool and to get to ride in them seems like the most awesome think ever!" Yukari explained to Miho who snorted for a moment before speaking.

"Tanks are meant for nothing but killing, I think tanks and tankry should be banned from this planet. I don't think anyone who thinks they are cool and that tankry can be fun should ever join a tankry team. I only joined myself because it was my duty to this school. I strongly suggest you reconsider your membership to this team… good day to you." Miho said and turned to walk towards the club room. Just then she heard some crying and had Yukari lunged at her back wrapping her arms around Miho's waist.

"Wait… I am sorry! I didn't mean to upset you; I just get so nervous around new people!" Yukari cried out. Miho struggled free and turned to face a crying Yukari. "I don't have any friends so I am not used to interacting with people face to face often. I should have been more sensitive. I just want to be in the same tank crew as you and I promise that I will take the sport really seriously and will always obey your orders." Yukari then looked up at Miho and had a light in her eyes.

"Yeah that's it, I will obey all of your orders, and I will be your faithful servant Yukari, Miho-sama." Yukari explained to Miho who nervously laughed and scratched the back of her head.

"That… that is a little much…" Miho simply stated looking off to the side away from Yukari who then had an excited look in her eyes.

"So, can I be a member of your crew then!?" Yukari inquired of Miho who chuckled a bit.

"Yeah… sure… now we have to make it to the club room before we are late." Miho told Yukari who gleefully agreed and followed after her into the club room. They reached the building where the club would be held. It was a massive hangar near an airstrip. It looked like this is where the tanks the school owned were being held. Miho and Yukari entered the large spacious building and looked around for a bit; the hangar was a little dusty and some of the lights flickered on and off. There had to be an entire company worth of girls there in the club house; all of them doing various things, some were cleaning rifles while others were checking out how they looked in the club uniform a various shades of green camo BDU. However the largest group of girls was crowded around a Television screen.

Miho gestured for Yukari to follow her and see what the girls were watching. When they arrived near the front of the group they saw that everyone was watching a news program. The headlines read Naval Battle in the Persian Gulf and it showed a burning warship, it looked to be an America destroyer of some kind possibly a Spruance class.

"…Washington strongly condemns the actions of the Soviet Union today with their unprovoked attack on an American warship in international waters. A White House spokesman told Nippon News Network today. According to the official the Soviet Warship Kara fired upon and rammed the American warship without provocation forcing the American vessel to return fire inflicting heavy damage on the Soviet warship. We have confirmed reports now that NATO is mobilizing its forces to an increased alert status and the various girls tankry schools around the western world are being alerted as well. This reporter cannot with any confidence say how the Soviet Union will react to this news." The reporter explained to the audience. Anzu walked up to the TV and turned it off before grabbing a microphone.

"Hi everyone! Thank you for coming here today! I have some good news and some bad news girls so everybody listen up." Anzu spoke into the mic. As soon as she knew that she had the complete and undivided attention of all of the girls she continued. So first I guess that I should tell you all the bad news. I looked everywhere for tanks and it appears that we don't have a single one can you believe that!?" Anzu stated with no sense of dread. How the club was going to play a match of tankry without tanks was beyond Miho but the school president beamed confidence that everything would be alright.

"Well that was the bad news, now for the good news. Kuromorimine has agreed to give us a bunch of tanks and other armored vehicles for free! We are just going to have to go to Europe and get them but that won't be a problem! Actually in fact that is the other good news we get to go to Europe expense free and will play our first couple of matches there!" Anzu informed the club much to everyone's dismay. One of the other students then spoke up.

"Wait isn't there a military crisis happening there are we going to be safe in Europe?" The girl asked Anzu who waived it off.

"Of course we will be in West Germany! I hear that is best Germany anyways we should have a lot of fun there guys so everyone lets show those girls at Kuromorimine just how much school spirit Oarai Academy has!" Anzu exclaimed the club. Miho's heart sank… she was going back there… she was going to Europe once more… I wonder… will she be there?